most direct, plainest, easiest, and least from the present government, did not the liable to exception." Again, in a letter to Sir Edward Newenham, Oct. 20, 1792: "Of all the animosities which have ex PRIVATE SEAL, 1783. isted among mankind, those which are To the Ministers, Church-wardens, and April 20th, 1789. same Providence, which has been visible in every stage of our progress to this interesting crisis, from a combination of circumstances, give us cause to hope for the accomplishment of all our reasonable desires. Thus partaking with you in the pleasing anticipation of the blessings of a wise and efficient government, I flatter myself that opportunities will not be wanting for me to show my disposition to encourage the domestic and public virtues of industry, economy, patriotism, philanthropy, and that righteousness which exalteth a nation. I rejoice in having so suitable an occasion to testify the reciprocity of my esteem for the numerous people whom you represent. From the excellent character for diligence, sobriety, and virtue, which the Germans in general, who are settled in America, have ever maintained, I cannot forbear felicitating myself on receiving from so respectable a number of them such strong assurances of their affection for my person, confidence in my integrity, and zeal to support me in my endeavours for promoting the welfare of our common country. So long as my and the good I. affections, which act your friendly dec- WASHINGTON'S ARMS. While I request you to accept my thanks for your kind address, I must profess myself highly gratified by the senti- possess at present; and, amidst all the ments of esteem and consideration con- vicissitudes, that may await me in this tained in it. The approbation my past mutable existence, I shall earnestly desire conduct has received from so worthy a the continuation of an interest in your body of citizens as that, whose joy for intercession at the throne of grace. my appointment you announce, is a proof of the indulgence with which my future To the General Assembly of the Presbytransactions will be judged by them. terian Church in the United States. I could not, however, avoid apprehending, that the partiality of my countrymen in favour of the measures now pursued, had led them to expect too much May, 1789. I receive with great sensibility the testimonial given by the general assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, of the lively and un- in the United States, my thanks for the feigned pleasure experienced by them on demonstrations of affection and the exmy appointment to the first office in the nation. Although it will be my endeavour to avoid being elated by the too favourable opinion, which your kindness for me may have induced you to express of the importance of my former conduct and the effect of my future services, yet, conscious of the disinterestedness of my motives, it is not necessary for me to conceal the satisfaction I have felt upon finding that my compliance with the call of my country, and my dependence on the assistance of Heaven to support me in my arduous undertakings, have, so far as I can learn, met the universal approbation of my countrymen. pressions of joy, offered in their behalf, on my late appointment. It shall still be my endeavour to manifest, by overt acts, the purity of my inclinations for promoting the happiness of mankind, as well as the sincerity of my desires to contribute whatever may be in my power towards the preservation of the civil and religious. liberties of the American people. In pursuing this line of conduct, I hope, by the assistance of Divine Providence, not altogether to disappoint the confidence which you have been pleased to repose in me. It always affords me satisfaction, when. I find a concurrence in sentiment and practice between all conscientious men in acknowledgments of homage to the great Governor of the Universe, and in professions of support to a just civil government. After mentioning that I trust the people of every denomination, who demean themselves as good citizens, will have occasion to be convinced that I shall always strive to prove a faithful and im While I reiterate the professions of my dependence upon Heaven, as the source of all public and private blessings, I will observe, that the general prevalence of piety, philanthropy, honesty, industry, and economy seems, in the ordinary course of human affairs, particularly necessary for advancing and confirming the happiness of our country. While all men partial patron of genuine, vital religion, within our territories are protected in I must assure you in particular that I worshipping the Deity according to the take in the kindest part the promise you dictates of their consciences, it is rational- make of presenting your prayers at the ly to be expected from them in return, throne of grace for me, and that I likethat they will all be emulous of evincing wise implore the divine benediction on the sanctity of their professions by the yourselves and your religious community. innocence of their lives and the beneficence of their actions; for no man, who is profligate in his morals, or a bad member of the civil community, can possibly be a true Christian, or a credit to his own religious society. I desire you to accept my acknowledg ments for your laudable endeavours to render men sober, honest, and good citizens, and the obedient subjects of a lawful government, as well as for your prayers to Almighty God for his blessing on our common country, and the humble instrument, which he has been pleased to make use of in the administration of its government. To the General Committee, Representing the United Baptist Churches in Virginia. May, 1789. I request that you will accept my best. acknowledgments for your congratulation on my appointment to the first office in the nation. The kind manner in which you mention my past conduct equally claims the expression of my gratitude. After we had, by the smiles of Heaven on our exertions, obtained the object for which we contended, I retired, at the conclusion of the war, with an idea that my To the Bishops of the Methodist Episcopal country could have no further occasion for Church in the United States. May, 1789. my services, and with the intention of never entering again into public life; but, when the exigencies of my country seemed I return to you individually, and, to require me once more to engage in pubthrough you, to your society collectively lic affairs, an honest conviction of duty superseded my former resolution, and be- At the same time, I return you my came my apology for deviating from the happy plan which I had adopted. If I could have entertained the slightest apprehension that the constitution framed in the convention, where I had the honour to preside, might possibly endanger the religious rights of any ecclesiastical society, certainly I would never have placed my signature to it; and, if I could now conceive that the general government might ever be so administered as to render the liberty of conscience insecure, I beg you will be persuaded, that no one would be more zealous than myself to establish effectual barriers against the horrors of spiritual tyranny, and every species of religious persecution. For you doubtless remember, that I have often expressed my sentiments, that every man, conducting himself as a good citizen, and being accountable to God alone for his religious opinions, ought to be protected in worshipping the Deity according to the dictates of his own conscience. thanks for the manifestation of your firm purpose to support in your persons a government founded in justice and equity, and for the promise, that it will be your constant study to impress the minds of the people intrusted to your care with a due sense of the necessity of uniting reverence to such a government, and obedience to its laws, with the duties and exercises of religion. Be assured, gentlemen, it is by such conduct very much in the power of the virtuous members of the community to alleviate the burden of the important office which I have accepted, and to give me occasion to rejoice, in this world, for having followed therein the dictates of my conscience. Be pleased, also, to accept my acknowledgments for the interest you so kindly take in the prosperity of my person, family, and administration. May your devotions before the throne of grace be prevalent in calling down the blessings of Heaven upon yourselves and your country. United Brethren for Propagating the While I recollect with satisfaction, that the religious society of which you are members have been, throughout America, uniformly and almost unanimously the To the Directors of the Society of the firm friends to civil liberty, and the persevering promoters of our glorious revolution, I cannot hesitate to believe, that they will be the faithful supporters of a free, yet efficient general government. Under this pleasing expectation I rejoice to assure them, that they may rely on my best wishes and endeavours to advance their prosperity. In the mean time be assured, gentlemen, that I entertain a proper sense of your fervent supplications to God for my temporal and eternal happiness. To the Ministers and Elders of the German Reformed Congregations in the United States. June, 1789. I am happy in concurring with you in the sentiments of gratitude and piety towards Almighty God, which are expressed with such fervency of devotion in your address; and in believing that I shall always find in you, and the German Reformed Congregations in the United States, a conduct correspondent to such worthy and pious expressions. July, 1789. I receive with satisfaction the congratulations of your society, and of the Brethren's congregations in the United States of America. For you may be persuaded, that the approbation and good wishes of such a peaceable and virtuous community cannot be indifferent to me. You will also be pleased to accept my thanks for the treatise* you presented, and be assured of my patronage in your laudable undertakings. In proportion as the general government of the United States shall acquire strength by duration, it is probable they may have it in their power to extend a salutary influence to the aborigines in the extremities of their territory. In the mean time, it will be a desirable thing, for the protection of the Union, to cooperate, as far as the circumstances may the Protestant Church of the Unitas Fratrum, or United Brethren, preach the Gospel and carry on their mission among the heathen." "An account of the manner in which conveniently admit, with the disinterested tions will tend to remove every remaining endeavours of your society to civilize and To the Bishops, Clergy, and Laity of the Convention Assembled. Aug. 19, 1789. apprehension of those, with whose opinions it may not entirely coincide, as well as to confirm the hopes of its numerous friends; and because the moderation, patriotism, and wisdom of the present federal legislature seem to promise the restoration of order and our ancient virtues, the extension of genuine religion, and the consequent advancement of our respectability abroad, and of our substantial happiness at home. I request, most reverend and respected gentlemen, that you will accept my cordial thanks for your devout supplications to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe in behalf of me. May you, and the people whom you represent, be the happy subjects of the divine benedictions both here I sincerely thank you for your affectionate congratulations on my election to the chief magistracy of the United States. After having received from my fellowcitizens in general the most liberal treatment, after having found them disposed and hereafter. to contemplate, in the most flattering point of view, the performance of my To the Synod of the Reformed Dutch military services, and the manner of my retirement at the close of the war, I feel that I have a right to console myself in my present arduous undertakings with a hope that they will still be inclined to put the most favourable construction on the motives, which may influence me in my future public transactions. Church in North America. October, 1789. I receive with a grateful heart your pious and affectionate address, and with truth declare to you that no circumstance of my life has affected me more sensibly, or produced more pleasing emotions, than the friendly congratulations, and strong assurances of support, which I have received from my fellow-citizens of all descriptions upon my election to the Presidency of these United States. The satisfaction arising from the indulgent opinion entertained by the American people of my conduct will, I trust, be some security for preventing me from doing any thing, which might justly in- I fear, gentlemen, your goodness has cur the forfeiture of that opinion. And led you to form too exalted an opinion of the consideration, that human happiness my virtues and merits. If such talents and moral duty are inseparably connected, as I possess have been called into action will always continue to prompt me to pro- by great events, and those events have mote the progress of the former by incul- terminated happily for our country, the cating the practice of the latter. glory should be ascribed to the manifest interposition of an overruling Providence. My military services have been abundantly recompensed by the flattering approbation of a grateful people; and if a faithful discharge of my civil duties can insure a like reward, I shall feel myself richly compensated for any personal sacrifice I may have made by engaging again in public life. On this occasion, it would ill become me to conceal the joy I have felt in perceiving the fraternal affection, which appears to increase every day among the friends of genuine religion. It affords edifying prospects, indeed, to see Christians of different denominations dwell together in more charity, and conduct themselves in respect to each other with a more Christianlike spirit, than ever they have done in any former age, or in any other nation. I receive with the greater satisfaction your congratulations on the establishment of the new constitution of government, because I believe its mild yet efficient opera The citizens of the United States of America have given as signal a proof of their wisdom and virtue, in framing and adopting a constitution of government without bloodshed or the intervention of force, as they, upon a former occasion, exhibited to the world, of their valour, for- propriety demand or expect; and remain titude, and perseverance; and it must be a pleasing circumstance to every friend of good order and social happiness to find that our new government is gaining strength and respectability among the citizens of this country, in proportion as its operations are known and its effects felt. You, gentlemen, act the part of pious Christians and good citizens by your prayers and exertions to preserve that harmony and good will towards men, which must be the basis of every political establishment; and I readily join with you, that, "while just government protects all in their religious rights, true religion affords to government its surest support." I am deeply impressed with your good wishes for my present and future hap piness, and I beseech the Almighty to take you and yours under his special care. To the Religious Society called Quakers, at their Yearly Meeting for Pennsyl vania, New Jersey, Delaware, and the Western Part of Maryland and Virginia. October, 1789. I receive with pleasure your affectionate address, and thank you for the friendly sentiments and good wishes, which you express for the success of my administration and for my personal happiness. We have reason to rejoice in the prospect that the present national government which, by the favour of Divine Providence, was formed by the common counsels and peaceably established with the common consent of the people, will prove a bless ing to every denomination of them. To render it such, my best endeavours shall not be wanting. Government being, among other purposes, instituted to protect the persons and consciences of men from oppression, it certainly is the duty of rulers, not only to abstain from it themselves, but, according to their stations, to prevent it in others. responsible only to their Maker for the religion, or modes of faith, which they may prefer or profess. Your principles and conduct are well known to me; and it is doing the people called Quakers no more than justice to say, that (except their declining to share with others the burthen of the common defence) there is no denomination among us who are more exemplary and useful citizens. I assure you very explicitly that in my opinion the conscientious scruples of all men should be treated with great delicacy and tenderness; and it is my wish and desire that the laws may always be as extensively accommodated to them as a due regard to the protection and essential interests of the nation may justify and permit. To the Roman Catholics in the United States. December, 1789. While I now receive with much satisfaction your congratulations on my being called by a unanimous vote to the first station in my country, I cannot but duly notice your politeness in offering an apology for the unavoidable delay. As that delay has given you an opportunity of realizing, instead of anticipating, the benefits of the general government, you will do me the justice to believe that your testimony to the increase of the public prosperity enhances the pleasure which I should otherwise have experienced from your affectionate address. I feel that my conduct in war and in peace has met with more general approbation, than could reasonably have been expected; and I find myself disposed to consider that fortunate circumstance, in a great degree, resulting from the able support and extraordinary candour of my fellow-citizens of all denominations. The prospect of national prosperity now before us is truly animating, and The liberty enjoyed by the people of ought to excite the exertions of all good these States, of worshipping Almighty men to establish and secure the happiness God agreeably to their consciences, is not of their country, in the permanent duraonly among the choicest of their blessings, tion of its freedom and independence. but also of their rights. While men per- America, under the smiles of Divine form their social duties faithfully, they Providence, the protection of a good govdo all that society or the state can with ernment, the cultivation of manners, |